Busy Weekend?

(Due to crappy weather, everything will be on Sunday the 25th)

For those of you who will have nothing to do this weekend, there are THREE - count them - THREEEE harvest festivals going on around these here parts *spits out tobacco*.

On Saturday (10/24) will be the very first Harvest Festival in Shirley conducted by the SPVEC. There will be a live band, kids crafts, vendors, food, Chinese auction, costume contest for kids under 10, and DJ Daddy O! It'll be at the PathMark Shopping Center from 10 to 6PM (rain date will be on Sunday).

Saturday will also have the annual Fall Festival in Center Moriches. Right on Main Street from 9 to 5PM. Pretty much they'll have the same as the Shirley festival, plus a petting zoo.

I know what you're asking. "How am I to decide which wonderful event to go to and let my kids run around while I shop for things I'll never buy?" Or, "Will the chicks (or fellas) be cuter in Shirley or Moriches?" Yes, those are pressing questions that test the will of humanity but I have a solution:

You can go to both!

You're welcome.

On Sunday, October 25th, the Mastic Beach Harvest Festival that was rescheduled from last Saturday due to good weather will be taking place. Same Mastic Beach time. Same Mastic Beach channel. You shouldn't be too partied-out from the previous Festivals so don't make excuses to get out of going!

Oktoberfest In Moriches

The Rotary Club of the Moriches is hosting its annual Oktoberfest on September 25-27 at Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck, located on Chet Swezey Road. The times for Oktoberfest are as follows:

* September 25, 2 to 10 p.m.
* September 26, noon to 10 p.m.
* September 27, noon to 6 p.m.

The Oktoberfest will include German food, beer gardens, a carnival, vendors, live German entertainment and more. Tickets are $5 to enter the beer garden. Ticket sales will benefit Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck.

For more information, call (631) 878-1070.

Why can't we in the area (Mastics/Shirley) have our beer garden? Why can't we have our Oktoberfest? We drink beer. Most Some of us know where Germany is. And German women are Oktoberferrific!

Get on that "civic groups". I want to see an Oktoberfest here!

I've Got Crabs

Mark your calendars crab lovers! It's the 5th Annual Blue Claw Crab Festival and it will be held on August 23rd (this Sunday) at Marina 1 in Mastic Beach (take Whittier Dr until you hit water) It's being thrown by the "oh-so-popular-that-everyone-just-loves-'em-like-a-fat-kid-loves-cake" MBPOA.

Performing on the show mobile will be the Cascades, Stan Ziska’s Tangerines, Southern Heart, Kountry Kickers, and the Silver Slippers (can you smell the alliteration?).

Enjoy fresh-boiled crabs and crab cakes along with local seafood, arts and crafts and music from 10AM to 6PM. If you're not into crabs don't worry, there's all types of yummy artery-clogging food to whet your palette!

For more information visit their website or call 395-5432.

Spring Fair This Saturday

SPRING FAIR THIS SATURDAY, MAY 23RD!
At the Pathmark Shopping Center. Have a great day with your family and friends.

Fair starts at 11:00AM!

FREE games for the kids: bean bag toss, ring toss, balloon pop, face painting, tattoos and Balloon Bob making balloon animals and sculptures.

Live Band. Dunk Tank (Kate Browning accepted an invitation to the fair ... maybe she'll get in the dunk tank?). Chinese Auction. Raffles. Food (wraps, lattes for you elitists, funnel cakes, corn patties, sausage and peppers, burgers and hot dogs, kettle corn).

Great vendors (Shamwow, Mary Kay, Party Lite, Dragon Lizards, Sunglasses, Hand Bags, Toys, Wind Chimes, Sheets, Baby Clothes, Hair Accessories, Jewelry, Hot Sauce, Sports Cards, Cigars, Gift Baskets, Personalized Gifts) and the list goes on!

Bring your family, friends and neighbors!

Fugitive Arrested in Moriches

Suffolk County Police, with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service New York/ New Jersey Fugitive Task Force, arrested a Pennsylvania man in Moriches on March 27th for a murder that took place in Stroudsburg, PA, earlier this year.

Stroud Area Regional Police Department detectives received information that Myles Alexander White, 21, of 35 Murphy Lane, Kunkletown, PA, was in the Moriches area Friday night. Suffolk County Seventh Precinct Patrol and Emergency Service units, along with the United States Marshals, apprehended White without incident at Mirror Lane in Moriches at 6:45 p.m. White had an arrest warrant for criminal homicide for a murder that occurred on January 15.

White will be held at the Suffolk County Jail in Riverhead pending completion of extradition proceedings.

You're All On Notice

via: News 12

The state put several Long Island schools and districts on notice in its latest compilation of schools that need improvement.

Saltzman East Memorial Elementary School, in Farmingdale, Clayton Huey Elementary School, in the Center Moriches Union Free School District, as well as the North Babylon and William Floyd school districts are on the list. The state says some students at those schools didn't make the grade on certain standardized tests.

For one Farmingdale parent, the bad news about Saltzman elementary came as a surprise.

"I had a fifth grader [who’s] now in middle school, ” Irene Argento says. “I had no problems with him, and I have a kindergartener now."

Farmingdale Superintendent of Schools John Lorentz says the problem is not widespread. He says the 800 students at Saltzman reached proper achievement levels in math and science. However, 54 students with disabilities failed to achieve the English language standard.

Lorentz says programs to help the students with disabilities are in place so that the school will be able to improve.

The North Babylon School District says it is giving extra attention to students who fell below the minimum requirements in the state standardized tests.

See list of all schools.

A Letter From Robert Vecchio

I received this from Robert Vecchio. I'm not a community leader -- believe it or not it doesn't impress the ladies -- but I'm passing this along nonetheless. Please share this with everyone you know!

Dear Community Leaders:

I am informing you about a proposed new tax that the State Legislature is considering as part of the bailout plan for the MTA.

The MTA has a current deficit of approximately $1.2 billion. The proposed "mobility tax" or payroll tax, would place a new tax on school districts, all business, and possibly other municipalities. The tax is .33 cents for every $100 dollars of payroll.

For the William Floyd School district, this would mean a new State mandated expense for our taxpayers of approximately $300,000 annually. For school districts on Long Island this would amount to almost $25 million per year. In addition to the increased burden on local taxpayers, our business community would have to bear the expense of increased school taxes and additional expenses for their operations for the new tax on their payrolls.

The school district will also see an increase in operating costs, with increased prices for goods and services being charged by a business that lies within the MTA servicing area (all of Long Island, NYC, Westchester, parts of upstate New York etc).

The Board of Education is urging all of our residents to contact their State Elected officials immediately and tell them to oppose the MTA mobility tax.

This proposal currently has the support of the Governor and the Speaker of the Assembly, for William Floyd School District our State officials are as follows:

Governor David Paterson
518-474-8390

Senator Ken LaValle (does not support. see comments below.)
631-696-6900

Senator Brian Foley
631-360-3356

Assemblyman Fred Thiele
631-537-2583

Assemblywoman Patricia Eddington
631-207-0073

Assemblyman Marc Alessi
631-929-5540

In addition share this information with every business owner and resident that you know that lives in and outside of our community as this will impact everyone on Long Island and the entire MTA servicing area.

Any questions please let me know.

Robert J. Vecchio
President
William Floyd School Board

Graffiti Vandals Caught

Suffolk County Police have arrested four men for making graffiti in Center Moriches and East Moriches.

The men are responsible for numerous incidents of spray painting their “tags” throughout the communities of Center Moriches and East Moriches. The graffiti incidents that occurred during the week of January 18 resulted in extensive damage to both commercial and public property.

An ongoing investigation by Seventh Precinct Crime Section officers led to the arrests of Kyree Davenport, 18, of 36 Brushwood Drive, Shirley, Corey Hodapp, 17, of the Smith Point Motel, Shirley, Jed Stout, 17, of 5 Muellers Lane, Yaphank and a 15-year-old male juvenile. All four men were charged with Making Graffiti.

Hodapp was arraigned at the First District Court in Central Islip on February 3. Davenport and Stout will be arraigned at a later date. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Seventh Precinct Crime Section at 631-852-8760 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Graffiti Is So 80's

via: News 12

CENTER MORICHES - More than 20 businesses in downtown Center Moriches were hit by graffiti vandals this week, leaving residents disappointed with the new blight on their town.

Letters and symbols of all sorts were painted on surfaces like bus stops, brick walls and storefronts up and down Main Street. People say they noticed most of it early Thursday morning.

“This was such a nice, quiet town,” says resident Gabrielle Colby. “They have fairs and you can walk through, it's great. Now that you see the graffiti - you don't want your kids seeing that."

Chamber of Commerce President Judy Savino says it is the worst graffiti hit she's seen and admits graffiti has been a problem around for years. She says she even keeps a roller and paints in her office to repair damage quickly.

Carpet King owner Mike Ingram says he’s afraid if the graffiti is not cleaned up soon, it will deter shoppers. Brookhaven Town Councilman Keith Romaine says he’s offering a cash reward for information leading to any arrests or convictions.

Get Your ERTH On...

No, that's not a typo (at least I hope not). Over at antihamptons.com you can purchase an ERTH sticker and part of the proceeds go toward the Save The Forge River Foundation. You guys know where Forge River is right? It's that beautiful waterfront area where many of you go to park your boats, fish, or sit in a car to smoke something you shouldn't be smoking. I mean, that's just what I hear that people do.

Go over to antihamptons.com and contribute to the foundation by purchasing a sticker that I want everyone putting in their cars. Don't be cheap.

RIP Violet Cove?

In the summers you could pack over 200 people in the place. And if you're sitting at the Tiki bar, there is nothing but beauty to be seen as you look out to watch the sun set. Once you finish your margarita, or beer, you could hop back on your boat and head back home. That's how it was for quite a few people who frequented Violet Cove (also known as Anchors), the only waterfront restaurant/marina on Moriches Bay.

The place is closed now. The Real Estate listing (with Coldwell Banker), expired. If you drive to the place it looks desolate. Alone. And as dusk begins you tend to look around. The emptiness is deafening and a chill goes down your spine as you half expect the Flying Dutchman to come out and take you away.

You hear almost nothing but good things about the place. "What a waste that location is awesome," said Robert from Mastic. "The right person needs to take it over. But then the people have to patronize the place to keep it open."

"It's not bad but it needs to be renovated. I was there eating once and a small piece of the ceiling came down on an empty table near me. Thank goodness it was empty."

Potential is unlimited," said a past frequenter from Medford. "Will be a gold mine eventually when the right individual(s) own it."

Potential. Yes, it has plenty of it, but what went wrong? Was it poor management? A failing economy? It can't be the latter. When times are bad, people turn to vices to remedy their stress. Cigarette sales go up, bars get an increase of patronage. Besides, the place has been going south for quite some time.

"Another Paddy McGee's", said Robert. "That's what I would like for it to be. It's not that difficult to get there. By boat or car. With good food, music, and atmosphere word of mouth would spread quickly."

Of course, not everyone enjoyed the place. Or living near it.

"I'm glad", said a local neighbor. "Nothing but noise in the summers and sometimes the cops had to be called. Personally, I think it was a dive and I have no idea who ran the place."

So what does the future hold for Violet Cove?

Dirt Cheap

Even though gas prices have plummeted in the past year (last year on this date it was over $3.00 for regular), some gas stations are being competitive and dropping their prices even lower than the average, which is at $1.89 in Long Island.

Long Island Gas Prices.com is a great site to visit if you want to know where the cheapest gas is. To no ones surprise, of course, the cheapest gas is at the independent stations. You know, the no-frills ones where you don't pump your own gas. Instead you have a guy with a limp and missing teeth who doesn't speak English asking you "how much my friend?" And it takes you about 20 minutes to explain to him that you don't want $50 regular, you want $15.

"No, no, fifteeeeeeeen"

"Yeah, yeah, fitty. OK"

"No, no. FIFTEEEEN"

You get the idea. Gas has gone up slightly since a couple of weeks ago (where you could find it for less than $1.70) but that shouldn't be too surprising as demand goes up.

Check it out, good site for cheap gas info.

Garfield And Friends Living In Moriches

At least 180 cats have been found living in a Moriches home on Crystal Beach Road.

A rescue group called Rescue Ink will remove up to 50 cats from the home after the family acknowledged that they cannot handle them.

The group’s members, known as the “tough guys with a soft side for animals,” say they will stop at nothing to rescue animals that are in unlivable conditions.

The cats removed from the home will be checked out and put up for adoption.

Contact Rescue Ink if you're interested in adopting these, or any other, pets. You guys should really check out their site. They have some beautiful dogs for adoption and one look at them will melt your heart.

SOUND OFF!!

What do you hate about this area?

What would you do to change it?

We want to hear your thoughts. Your ideas. Don't be afraid to speak up and SOUND OFF!

Levy Gets Smackdown

In a "thank-you-Captain-Obvious" move, the Suffolk County Legislature overrode Steve Levy's veto of an order to begin steps to consider buying the 4.5-acre Shore Road parcel, which is located in the Harts Cove wetlands area.

According to Mr. Levy the land had already been destroyed by bulkheads and fill materials -- not to mention the rotting dead carcasses of his political opposition -- so there was no point in purchasing the land as it would ultimately be costly to the county (read: the taxpayers, all 10 of them). In other words, it's like New Jersey but not quite.

Of course, people see it differently. Including Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman -- the bills sponsor -- who stated that the parcel in East Moriches "has a lot of rural space and rural character" kind of like Mayberry, but not quite. He understands that Mr. Levy was probably stunned that he was vetoed because it goes against his awesomeness but according to Mr. Schneiderman, "he has another crack at this. It does have to be purchased.”